Persimmon forward sales rocket 38pc

The company also has 7,200 new homes sold forward into the private sale market for 2014, 38 per cent ahead of the same point in 2013. The average selling price climbed three per cent to £200,400.

Persimmon has now sold 5,000 homes with the assistance of the government's controversial Help to Buy shared equity scheme. 2,203 of these homes were legally completed in 2013.

The government's decision to extend Help to Buy to 2020 was welcomed by Persimmon, who said the move "provides welcome support to potential new home purchasers for this additional four year period."

Persimmon said its strategy remained focused on exercising capital discipline, while expanding the business as market conditions allow. The company is also committed to returning £1.9bn of surplus capital to shareholders over the period to 2021.